Archive: Instyle

It’s not every day that we hear an A-list celebrity make an embarrassing confession that’s actually embarrassing — having acne 100 years ago when you were a teenager does not count. But leave it to Amanda Seyfried to bring us back down to Earth.

The “Les Miserables” star covers InStyle’s January 2013 issue, and she gives us a hefty does of real talk inside the mag. “Yes, I have parts of my body that I don’t necessarily love,” she says. “Like I have red bumps around my bikini line.” You have no idea how much we love you for admitting that, Amanda.

Amanda explains to InStyle how she deals with going nude:

“It’s not about my body. It’s not about me. You’re playing somebody else. You’re not going to believe a love scene if the people are dressed. You’re not going to believe a stripper who has on a bra and underwear the whole time. At the same time, it has to do with how comfortable you are with letting people see your skin. For me, I’m ok with it.”

Instyle Daily Beauty Tip: Retro Half-Updo
Although she was being honored for her 2012 film Rust and Bone, Marion Cotillard?s half-updo at the Hollywood Film Awards was all retro. The structured style added a touch of vintage flair to her otherwise modern ensemble, and can instantly dress up a more casual getup. Recreate her look by starting with second-day strands, or by adding a texturizing spray to clean hair to give it extra hold. Part your hair as you normally would, then begin twisting a medium-sized section above your ear toward the center of your head. A loose twist gives off an effortless, carefree vibe, while a tighter roll will impart a super-defined retro style like Cotillard?s. Secure the style by crossing two hair pins in the shape of an X before moving on to the other side.

Halle Berry lands the cover of November’s InStyle magazine, and she looks absolutely gorgeous! She looks stunning in a tight red cutout dress, looking hotter than ever (she just gets better with age!).

In the interview, Halle talks about her custody battle with her ex Gabriel Aubrey. She desperately wants to move her daugther Nahla to France, where her fiance Olivier Martinez lives. She claims she wants to remove Nahla from the constant presence of the paparazzi.

On why she wants to move to France
“It’s the appeal of privacy and a greater sense of safety for Nahla. I don’t want her to grow up around the tabloids. Because we are followed all the time, she is starting to feel like she is somehow special, and of course she is, but I want her to understand that she’s special because of who she is, not because she was born into this celebrity blender.”

On her custody battle
“There is turbulence, bit this too shall pass.”

On her wedding plans:
“I do know it will be very small. I haven’t been to many weddings, but I went to one this weekend with 250 guests. I thought, Wow – so this is a wedding, huh? I’ve never had that, nor have I wanted that. I wasn’t even trying to catch the bouquet!”

On her fiance Olivier Martinez:
“When I first met Olivier, there wasn’t the initial ‘I’m in love!’ It was something that grew more gradually—and it feels more real because of that. [Marriage] is another one of those never-say-never things. I’m a hopeless romantic, and I won’t stop till I get it right!”

“He’s silly, a clown, and very much the life of the party, which is good for someone like me. Danny Downer … been there, done that. Now I like Louie Lightfoot!”

On aging in Hollywood:
“Throughout my career I have been talked out of things I wanted to do, and when I look back I think, I should have followed my instincts. I relied on others to guide me because I thought they knew better. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to trust myself. Don’t stress about your age or fight it. Appreciate the young women who look like you once did, but don’t strive to be like them. You’re moving into a new phase of your life—embrace it. That’s what I hope to do.”

On not being defined by her hairstyle:
“I think I am at my best when my hair is short. It’s easier to take care of and more of who I am. Women are conditioned to think we need long hair. I see that happening with my daughter. She is so in love with her hair right now. She says, ‘Look, Mommy—it’s so long!” As women, we think it defines us, and we learn that at a young age.”

I think it’s a great interview, and she seems very open and honest. Whether or not she’s being entirely honest about the moving to France situation, meh…. who knows. I think she wants away from her ex more than she wants to be away for Nahla’s sake. But who knows.

The side-braid—as seen here on Zoe Saldana and Blake Lively—is one of the easiest hairstyle trends to ever hit the red carpet. But in spite of its simplicity (who doesn’t know how to braid?), we still get countless questions about how to get it right. That is, not too loose, skinny, or schoolgirl-ish. Click through our gallery to master the boho side-braid, once and for all.

The Basic Tips
• Start with dry hair that is completely knot-free.
• Create a deep side part with your fingers—not a comb. This is important to facilitate a more undone look and help you stay away from anything too severe.
• Pull all of your hair over one shoulder and braid to the side. If you can create a French braid, like Rachel McAdams, do! If not, no worries. A simple plait still works.
• Fasten with a clear elastic, and leave out wispy pieces to frame the face.

My braids fall out during the day.
Solution: Fact: Braids last longer in dirty hair. The natural oils give twists something to adhere to. If your hair gets too greasy, douse your roots with dry shampoo like Dove’s (available in March, $4; drugstores) and you’ll be good to go.